Secrets
by Keeperofthemoon0
Summary: "Even if this had all turned out differently… I think I still would have found you and fallen in love with you." Drabbles for the Look After You universe. Sirius/Ginny
1. To Be A Black

-*.*.*-

Title: Secrets

Summary: "Even if this had all turned out differently… I think I still would have found you and fallen in love with you." Drabbles for the Look After You universe. Sirius/Ginny

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Author's Note: This follow the **Complex Touch **and **Look After You** universe. I've decided to share some drabbles on random moments in their lives before, during or after those two stories. Enjoy all the nonsense!

-*.*.*-

"While I respect your decision, Sirius, I'll need to understand your reasoning better if you'd like to live a peaceful life with me."

Sirius looked warily up from the paper he had been reading. His eyes narrowed when Ginny raised an eyebrow at him.

"You sound like Hermione," Sirius told her dryly, turning his attention back to the paper and taking a bite of his bacon.

Ginny couldn't argue with him on that. After their fight the night before (and by fight she was referring to the exchange of a question and answer) Ginny had written to Hermione. And those words were exactly what Hermione had told her to say.

Twisting her wedding ring on her finger, a nervous habit she had picked up ever since Sirius had put the ring there, Ginny eyed her husband. He looked aloof, as if he hardly cared that she had brought the issue back up. She knew better however. While Sirius ate his bacon and read his paper Ginny knew his mind was attempting to think up a way to successfully dodge her.

"Sirius," she began again, "I just want to know the real reason."

"The real reason?" he asked, seemingly distracted. "Gin, I didn't even realize you were thinking about having a baby. I didn't realize _I'd_ have to think about having a baby, not right now."

She pushed off the counter and took the seat across from him at the table.

"I'm not saying we need to have a baby right now. But it's something I'd like to discuss… this is about us, about our future, about the possibility of us expanding our family."

"The reason I don't want to have a kid," Sirius said, folding the paper and giving her his full attention. "is because I don't think we need to conform to society's expectations of us. Or your family's expectations. Why do we need to have a kid after we've gotten married? Why can't we just enjoy being together, the two of us? Why do I have to share you?"

Ginny snorted.

"That's sweet. But we're not conforming to anyone's expectations. You have never conformed to anything."

"I am, after all, Sirius Black," he said, interrupting her.

He stood from his seat and pressed a kiss to her forehead before he put his dirty breakfast dish in the sink.

"We're not done with this conversation!" Ginny cried out as Sirius walked out of the kitchen.

"I didn't think we were," she heard him dryly reply.

She stood and chased after him. Sirius walked through the hallway and dropped the folded newspaper on a table before he headed upstairs towards the bedroom. Ginny sighed through her nose.

"Don't I have a right to know the truth?"

Sirius glanced at her over his shoulder as he approached the bedroom. With an extended arm, he held the door open for her and she walked in ahead of him. Their bedroom looked as though a bomb had exploded in it, sending sheets and clothes everywhere. The life of a newlywed. Sex, sleep, eat, be in a happy bliss… unless Ginny decided to interrupt it with ideas of the future.

She sighed at her thoughts as Sirius shut the bedroom door behind them. Automatically she took a seat on the large bed, relaxing as she leaned against the headboard. Her teeth gnawed on her bottom lip as Sirius threw her a playful look.

"And if I don't tell you?" Sirius teased. "Are you going to leave me?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. They both knew that Sirius not wanting to have children wouldn't end their relationship. After everything they had been through they would be able to work through this. But there was something nagging at her ever since she had asked him the night before if he ever wanted kids. His answer had been swift, no thought to it, no emotion. And it was so unlike Sirius to lack emotion, especially with such an important issue, that her suspicion and curiosity had awoken.

When he turned his attention to look out the window, Ginny studied him again. His eyebrows were furrowed, his lips drawn.

"What the bloody hell is going on, Sirius?" she snapped, annoyed.

When he turned to her his frown was replaced with a full blown smile, as if he wasn't stressed at all.

"What do you mean, love?"

"I just want to know why you don't want to have kids-"

"Do you want to practice, hmm? Then we can talk about this later?" his words were almost a purr.

Her eyes narrowed as Sirius left his spot by the window to join her on the bed, his long body stretching over hers. She inhaled sharply as his nose nuzzled her neck. He, of course, knew that was her spot.

But he would not distract her that easily.

"You'd be a great father," Ginny said, using a hand to firmly push him away. "Is that what it is? You don't think you'd be a good father? You're great with all the kids, Sirius, I know you could do it."

Sirius stopped moving for a beat, his warm breath still on her neck. Then he sat back, his black hair blocking his eyes from her view.

"Sirius?"

"Fuck, Gin," he growled, getting off the bed. "I just don't want kids. I don't want any, it's just not for me!"

Ginny started at the volume of his voice, crawling out of bed to stand in front of him.

"Why? I just want to know the truth, you're lying to me, just tell me the truth-"

"I want the Black line to _end_! That's it! I don't want any child to carry the Black blood in their veins, I don't want any child to suffer the cruelty!" Sirius shouted.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, gentle despite his loud tone.

"I was the only one in my family who turned out well and I barely scrapped by with that. Don't you see? And the only reason I did that was because I did the exact opposite of what a member of the Black family was suppose to do. And I had been lucky, I had been so lucky. If I hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor… If I hadn't met James and Remus and Peter and you…"

His eyes flickered to hers and he seemed so scared of the possibility of having never met her or the Marauders, of the possibility of having followed in his family's footsteps, as if it could still happen that her heart hurt. Sirius let go of his grip on her and stepped away, shaking his head.

"What if we have a child and they turn out like my father? Or my mother? What if they end up in Slytherin? Unless you can guarantee me that our child will be exactly like you I don't want one. I don't want to watch my child grow up and be afraid of what it will become. The Black family is a family full of _monsters_," he spat. "I don't want to curse a child to the life of being a Black."

Sirius let out a sharp laugh.

"And how would I even raise a kid? My own dad was never there, I was left with Regulus and my wretched mother and house-elfs! I wouldn't even know what a dad was suppose to do…"

Ginny sat down on the bed, stunned. She had known something was wrong, she had known and she had pushed him and now he told her and she had no answer. He turned away from her, running his hands through his hair as they remained in silence.

"But… I'm a Black now," she whispered, caught on his words.

The wedding ring felt heavy on her finger.

"You're a Weasley," Sirius said, his voice raw. "You're a Black by marriage, not by blood. And even that I shouldn't have done to you."

Before she knew what she was doing, Ginny picked up a pillow and threw it at Sirius. It hit him squarely in the back of the head and he growled, whipping around. His eyes looked bright and his teeth were bared in a snarl.

"What was that for?"

"For being stupid!" Ginny screamed, standing up and hitting him in the chest. "How _dare_ you! How dare you even say that or think that! How could you even-"

She hit him again but he caught her hands in his own before she could do any real damage. Ginny let him draw her close even though she felt like fighting him, him and his stupid ideas. How could he think that? How could that be his reasoning? Couldn't he see how great he was?

The fight seemed to die in her and she slumped against his chest, closing her eyes as she steadied her breathing.

"I love you, Sirius," she said, looking up and catching his eyes. "I love you because you aren't your parents or your brother or anybody else. The Black name isn't cursed. I've never been happier since I took it as my own."

Shaking off his grip of her hands, Ginny cupped his face.

"I don't need to have kids."

"Gin-"

"I'd like to, one day, with you, have children. But I don't need that. And any child would be lucky to have you as a father, to grow up to be like you. You're loyal and brave and smart and you _love_. You love so freely and so much that I don't know how any child of yours would turn out any differently."

His eyes searched her face as if he thought she was lying. Ginny knew he could read her though, knew that he was sure she wasn't lying. They had known each other since they were teenagers, had been through a war and had survived the Veil together. Sirius knew Ginny better than she knew herself. And she knew him better than anyone else.

"Okay?" she whispered.

Sirius nodded slowly. Using her hands, she pulled his face close to hers and kissed him.


	2. The Library

-*.*.*-

Title: Secrets

Summary: "Even if this had all turned out differently… I think I still would have found you and fallen in love with you." Drabbles for the Look After You universe. Sirius/Ginny

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Author's Note: This follow the **Complex Touch **and **Look After You** universe. I've decided to share some drabbles on random moments in their lives before, during or after those two stories. Enjoy all the nonsense!

-*.*.*-

She was trying to ignore him. Really, she was. But she was failing. Sirius sat a table nearby, his voice ringing in her ears despite the fact that he was whispering. Ginny sighed through her nose, concentrating on the book in front of her. It didn't matter that he was so close to her, pretending she didn't exist, talking to two Ravenclaw girls as if she wasn't there. It was a stupid little game they played- and they played it all the time.

Dancing around any true emotions, snogging in hidden closets, pretending it was all fine in the daylight. And it was all fine. Really.

Either way Halloween had just passed and with that so had her freedom. Quidditch practice was becoming almost too much along with the excessive amount of homework she had been assigned. She barely saw anyone, even Amelia, Dorcas and Marlene who slept in the same room as her. She should be concentrating on her homework, not Sirius Black. Homework was more important.

Clearing her throat, Ginny focused on the book in front of her.

She immediately noticed when Sirius stopped speaking. Ginny looked up without wanting to, her eyes going to the table he had been sitting at. The girls were still there, doing homework and laughing quietly together. Where was he?

"Looking for someone?"

Ginny jumped, cursing herself for having been caught looking as she whipped her head around. Sirius stood there, a cocky smile playing across his lips, his arms folded across his chest.

"I was just happy the noise had gone down," she responded, an eyebrow lifting as Sirius took the seat across from her without permission.

But when did he ever ask permission to do anything?

"We are in a library, after all," Ginny finished, waving a hand as if to show off the shelves of books around them.

Sirius shook his head in amusement.

"Tell me you miss me."

A smile came to her lips at his words but she kept her head down, having already begun to pretend to read the book in front of her again.

"I wouldn't want to lie to you, Sirius," she told him.

His trademark laughter followed her words, loud enough that the girls at the table near them looked up. Ginny bit her lip to keep from laughing with him.

"We haven't had time alone in ages," he complained.

"And what would we do if we did?"

Ginny spoke the words slowly, deliberately raising an eyebrow when she finished. Sirius' eyes, gray and stormy, darkened.

"Whatever you'd like, love," Sirius muttered back.

He reached across the table then, taking a hold of her wrist with his hand. Ginny stilled, her face flushing, as his thumb pressed down on the pulse below the soft skin of her wrist. Then he released her wrist so his long fingers could dance over her hand, light as a butterfly.

"Sirius-" her voice sounded husky to her own ears.

Sirius sat back, his eyebrows perked.

"But you're busy, I see," he cut in, motioning towards the homework in front of her. "Just let me know whenever you're free, I suppose. Maybe we can schedule a little get together?"

He stood up, brushing his hands down the front of his shirt as if to get rid of wrinkles. Ginny watched, half dazed, as he offered her a sharp smile before turning and leaving. On his way out he waved to the Ravenclaw girls at the table.

She hated this game they played.


	3. Slytherin

-*.*.*-

Title: Secrets

Summary: "Even if this had all turned out differently… I think I still would have found you and fallen in love with you." Drabbles for the Look After You universe. Sirius/Ginny

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Author's Note: This follows the **Complex Touch **and **Look After You** universe. I've decided to share some drabbles on random moments in their lives before, during or after those two stories. Enjoy all the nonsense!

-*.*.*-

He was toying with the end of her hair, curling it around his finger and watching the way the red changed in the light. Ginny wanted to slap his hand away but stilled herself, instead turning a soft eye to her husband. Closing the book in her hands, she placed it on the table beside her and turned to face him completely.

Sirius was distant, despite sitting right next to her on the couch. There was a weight on his shoulders that Ginny could do little to ease. He had always liked Ginny to help sort his thoughts out but tonight was different. It had been a tiring day to begin with. With four young children, they had to head to Kings Cross station to send off two to Hogwarts. Tristan, her eldest, was onto his fourth year at the school.

The boy was a Gryffindor, a perfect combination of a Weasley and Black. He was fierce, brave, loyal. Sometimes he couldn't quite keep his mouth shut, something that helped him stack up detentions, but other than that he did quite well at the school. He had fallen into the rhythm of school his first year as though he had been there all along.

It was Aurora, the only girl of the family, Sirius' only little girl, that was causing the stress.

Tristin had written to the family as soon as the sorting ceremony had concluded and they had been back in the common room. The letter was short, which didn't surprise Ginny, but it had added one detail that the Black parents had anxiously been waiting for. A detail that Sirius had dreaded to hear and feared to be true. He knew his daughter, he knew Aurora, the child he had affectionately dubbed Rorie before she had even begun to crawl, and knew what she was capable of. She was no Gryffindor.

_Rorie was sorted into Slytherin._

She wasn't the first child in the group of friends to be sorted into Slytherin. And Ginny knew, just as Sirius had, that it was very likely she was going to go into that house. Rorie was smart, quick, quiet, ambitious. When the children were younger it had usually been Rorie telling Tristan how to get the cookies or pies that were hidden away. And one Christmas Sirius came home to find that Rorie and Tristan had opened all the presents, two days early, after Rorie watched where Ginny placed them days before.

Aurora was clever.

But it wasn't her strengths that worried Sirius. His only daughter was going into a house he despised, a house he felt he had no control over. She was a Black by birth and Sirius had always feared that one of his children would turn out like his mother, his father, his brother. Though Ginny tried to gently remind Sirius over and over again that Regulus was just as brave as her own brothers, he didn't listen.

Ginny sighed and leaned into Sirius. He wrapped his arms around her without thinking twice, his fingers digging into her skin before he too sighed and relaxed. Sirius spoke his words into her hair so that Wesley and Gabe, who were running in and out of the room, wouldn't hear.

"I should've written to her."

And he hadn't. Ginny had written the letter to her daughter, filled with love and encouragement and pride, reminding her to stay close to James, Harry's oldest son who was also in Slytherin, if she needed to. James would help her, he would lead her. But Ginny knew Aurora wasn't anxiously awaiting a letter from her mum. She wasn't the parent whose approval Aurora sought so frequently.

"Yes, you should have," Ginny responded softly.

Sirius ran his fingers down Ginny's arm.

"I remember when I feared the idea of having kids," Sirius said. "I feared they'd get the worst of me, the worst of my family. And when Rorie was born… I knew she was different. She was brilliant, smart, but she reminded me so much of my brother."

Ginny sat up so she could look at Sirius as he spoke to her. His eyes were down, heavy with regret.

"I hadn't been there to help my brother like I should have been. I gave up on him too easy. And when he joined Voldemort, when he made the wrong choice, I couldn't make myself speak to him."

Wesley ran into the room, disrupting the mood with his laughter. Gabe came in just a second later, his bright hair letting Wesley know where he was right away. The parents watched, an amused smile forcing itself on Sirius' lips as he watched his boys play. As soon as they ran out of the room again, bursting into giggles once out of sight, Ginny turned her attention back to Sirius.

"Sirius…"

He gently moved Ginny and stood up.

"I'm going to write Minerva," he told her. "See if I can stop by, see Rorie tonight."

"Bit much, don't you think?" Ginny asked, smirking. "Her first night at school and her dad is coming to check on her."

Sirius turned, his eyes narrowed mockingly.

"Enough cheek, eh?"

Ginny smiled and picked up her book again, finding the page that she had folded as Sirius went to find parchment and a quill.


	4. October 31st

The white marble was cold to the touch, which wasn't surprising as it was bloody freezing out. It didn't bother Sirius too much, however, and he remained in a squat, tracing the names on the headstone with his fingertips. The letters were familiar, the swoop of the large _J_, the way his heart twisted when it traced the _a_, following right into the _m _then _e_ then _s. _If he had been free, if Azkaban hadn't taken so many years of his life, if Peter hadn't been so clever, Sirius would have made sure to have brother written on the marble. James may have been an only child but he had had brothers, brothers who loved him dearly.

He looked at Lily's name and he could picture her, clear as day, laughing at him across the Potter's kitchen table. He could see James by the sink, tossing one of Harry's toys up and down as the baby giggled on his father's hip. It all seemed so real, as if it had only happened yesterday, that sometimes Sirius was sure he'd turn around and see James and Lily behind him.

A sigh escaped his chapped lips as he reached the end of the names, his fingers pressing hard into the headstone. They were still so real to him that he had trouble believing they were truly gone.

"Surprised to see you wearing that jumper," a voice said behind him.

Sirius twisted awkwardly, eyes lighting up in glee despite the dampness that lingered in them. There was no point to wipe his tears. Not when he was here.

"You don't like it?" Sirius asked Remus.

Remus just continued to smirk, though Sirius could barely tell for his face was mostly hidden behind a brown, wool scarf. Sirius looked down at his jumper. The orange was nearly blinding and Sirius squinted while he studied it as he often did. Even after a year of washing it the color hadn't faded. He had a feeling, however, that Molly Weasley had intended that to be the case. It was a jumper that symbolized many things, mainly that the Weasley clan fully accepted his and Ginny's new marriage. The large, black _S_ was there to show he was truly a Weasley now.

It was a feat he hadn't been sure he'd be able to accomplish.

And so he liked to wear the jumper around the house. Ginny said it helped her keep an eye on him and that she liked seeing him in it, despite the obnoxious burn of the orange. She also gave him full permission to wear it out in public, so she'd always be certain he'd have no choice but to remain faithful to her- after all, no woman would approach him in that horrendous color. It had become a running joke between Sirius and his wife.

But Remus was right, it was a surprise when the morning of October 31stcame and Sirius found he couldn't take the jumper off. It was comfortable and right and the idea of leaving it at home when he went to visit his brother, his sister, his best friends, in the cold seemed so wrong. Ginny hadn't questioned it when Sirius left the sweater on. Instead she had taken his hand and they headed to the cemetery together.

It had become a tradition for Remus, Sirius, Harry, and Ginny to meet up at the cemetery of Godric's Hollow every year on Halloween. No other's joined the group, knowing the need for privacy was great. The group of four had lost more than any others knew when James and Lily died. Harry had lost his parents and Sirius, Remus and Ginny had lost their family. They had lost a life that they could now only dream of living. They had lost hope and dreams and love.

Sirius fought to keep the smile on his face as he stood up, stepping away from the grave so that he could now stand shoulder to shoulder with Remus. The men didn't speak for a moment, staring at the headstone sadly.

"I imagine James would be laughing at you right now, seeing you in that jumper."

Sirius turned to Remus, shaking his head and smiling.

"Yes, I imagine he would be."

"It's a bit worn too."

To make his point, Remus reached over and pulled at a hole in the jumper. Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Not as worn as Ginny's, though."

His wife's collection of Weasley jumpers was a bit outrageous, filling a whole trunk that was kept in the attic. Every year her mum made sure to make her only daughter a new jumper, always a soft red with a large, pink _G_ in the middle. Ginny loved the jumpers dearly, Sirius knew that, but she tended to only wear her old ones from Hogwarts. They were completely falling apart by now but Ginny wouldn't part with them. Sirius was beginning to understand why.

As if knowing he was thinking of her, Ginny glanced over at the pair. A tiny smile lingered on her lips, a smile that never seemed to disappear when they were in sight of each other. It was his smile, he liked to think.

Sirius stared at his wife, his love. His eyes traced the contours of her face, went over the way her hair curled and fell over her shoulders, watched as her tiny hands ran over Harry's over and over again. Harry stood beside Ginny, head tilted down as he spoke into her ears. She was listening, Sirius knew, but still she kept her bright eyes trained on him.

He turned his attention back to the headstone and the group remained silently, separated by age. Ginny liked to talk to Harry about her memories of his parents when they came to the gravesite and Harry liked to listen. Remus and Sirius liked to listen too, just from a distance.

Sirius clasped Remus' shoulder, squeezing it tightly. He didn't remove his hand from Remus' shoulder until Harry and Ginny came to stand beside them. Harry's cheeks were damp, his eyes rimmed red, and Ginny looked no better as she knelt down next to the headstone. Her fingers followed the same route Sirius' had as she traced over the names of her friends, her breathing labored. Roughly wiping at his cheeks, Harry took a shuddering breath.

"Do you think they'd be proud of us?" Harry questioned softly.

Ginny turned around at that, her eyes roaming over the trio as the group waited for someone to answer.

"I do," Sirius finally whispered. "I think they'd be happy that we remained a family, through everything."

Remus nodded in agreement and Harry took a deep breath. That familiar, small smile came to Ginny's lips when Sirius wrapped an arm around his godson's shoulders and everything felt okay.


	5. Animals

"The day has come, my friends," the red haired boy began, his eyes burning furiously. "The day has come for change."

The three other children around him looked on curiously. Aurora, the only girl, raised a single eyebrow as she looked at her older brother. Wesley, a silly grin coming to his lips, nodded in agreement. Gabe, the youngest, sneaked a look at both Wesley and Aurora before turning back to Tristan.

All four sat in a circle underneath a tall, proud tree. The shade kept them cool from the midday sun, a common place of peace for the siblings as they grew up. It had been planted the year that Tristan had been born and had been growing with the Black children as though it were a part of their family. Each child, just last year, had carved their names into the tough bark, along with their parents' names.

Tristan glanced around, noting that his parents and grandparents were by the house paying no attention. He then leaned closer, scrunching his face. Their knees dug into the persons' next to them as Aurora, Wesley, and Gabe leaned in also.

"We have fought for this, we deserve this," Tristan dramatically declared. "We have shed tears for this! We have bled for this!"

"We haven't _bled_ for this, Tris," Wesley cut in, snickering.

He elbowed Gabe, who laughed accordingly.

Tristan allowed a small smile before nodding.

"Alright, perhaps we haven't bled for this. But we might as well have. Every Christmas, every birthday, we have each asked for this and haven't received it."

"They won't even consider it," Aurora added, twirling a piece of her dark hair around a finger.

"Exactly!" Tristan shouted.

The four children flinched and all looked over at the adults. No one seemed to have noticed his cry, though their grandmother did throw a glance towards them before getting distracted again.

"Nana has hearing just like Crookshanks," Gabe whispered.

Wesley nodded in agreement.

"Neither of you ever met Crookshanks," Aurora said, rolling her eyes. "How do you know how good his hearing was?"

"Uncle Ron said-"

"First mistake," Aurora cut in quickly. "Aunt Hermione and Mum say never to listen to Uncle Ron."

"Well _Pa_ said Crookshanks had great hearing," Wesley came to his brother's defense. "Pa tells us all the time."

"That he does," Tristan said in agreement.

"Either way we already know what Mum and Pa will say."

Aurora brought the conversation back to the topic it was meant to be on with a roll of her eyes. Being the only girl was rather hard sometimes. Luckily her mum had great sympathy for her, having been the only girl also.

"'They don't need a pet, we already have a dog'," Tristan mocked.

"Then when we say Pa doesn't count," Aurora continued.

"They'll remind us that Tristan killed the fish they bought him when he was little," Wesley said.

The three youngest siblings took a long moment to glare at their oldest brother.

"Sorry! I didn't realize dumping all the food in the bowl would _kill _it! I thought it would just make him fat."

"Idiot," Aurora muttered as Wesley and Gabe laughed.

"And then they'll tell us they'll think about it till the next holiday," Tristan powered through over the laughter.

The four siblings sat in silence at that.

"We need to get extra help," Aurora decided. "But from who?"

Wesley shrugged and Gabe mimicked him.

"They never listen to Uncle Ron, Uncle George, Uncle Fred-"

"Uncle Charlie, Uncle Percy, Uncle Bill-"

"Maybe Unc' Remus?" Gabe asked, picking his second favorite uncle.

"Nah, Pa will just say he is like a pet, with his _furry little problem_," Tristan sighed.

"Then who? Uncle Harry?" Wesley asked.

Aurora and Tristan looked at each other in thought and Wesley clapped his hands in excitement, sure that he picked the right one. Then Aurora shook her head.

"I don't know. When they got James, Albus, and Lily their pet cat they almost got it killed when Lily let it out to play in the snowstorm."

"Aunt Pansy wasn't happy," Tristan said with a sad nod. "Uncle Harry might give them more reasons for us not to get a pet."

Aurora bit her lip.

"You know who that leaves?"

The boys waited with abated breath. Aurora smirked, the smile lighting up her dark features drastically.

"Nana and Papa. We'll have to corner them tonight."

Across the yard, as the young children discovered the perfect teammates for this quest, the adults sat around a table together. Sirius was beside his father-in-law, leaning back in his seat lazily as he listened to the mother and daughter talk. It was frightening, really, how similar they were to each other without even realizing.

"The children deserve a pet. Tristan and Aurora are already in Hogwarts, they need a bit more responsibility," Molly was saying to Ginny.

Ginny breathed out sharply through her nose.

"Look, mum, I get it. But we'll end up taking care of it when they're not here. Wesley and Gabe are hardly capable, they're just as bad as Fred and George. Either way I think Sirius is enough of a dog for all of us."

Sirius grinned sharply at that. Arthur couldn't help chuckling beside him.

"They need to learn to care for something-"

"Tris already killed a fish. Do we really want another murder on our hands?" Sirius asked Molly.

She huffed and crossed her arms.

"It was a fish, Sirius."

"It was _our_ fish," he said dramatically.

Ginny hide her smile behind her Butterbeer.

"Did the kids put you up to this, Molly?"

Ginny glanced at her mum curiously at that then glanced over at the huddle of children out in the yard. She saw Tristan's bright head look over in her direction and she narrowed her eyes.

"They're plotting something," Ginny noted.

"Well Wesley's birthday is coming up," Arthur said. "And then Tristan's. Two birds, one stone, hm?"

"I just think it would be a great present," Molly pressed.

Sirius and Ginny shared a look, dreading what would come after this conversation if the children were indeed plotting something. They had been putting off a pet for ages now, thinking four young children were enough of animals for them to deal with without another creature added in this mix. But when Sirius' eyebrows perked in question Ginny realized they had been fighting a losing battle all along. Soon she was sure the children would get others to help fight their cause, probably her brothers, maybe their cousins. Her parents were already putting up quite a battle and the children hadn't even used proper fake tears with their grandparents yet.

She sighed and shrugged. Her husband shrugged back at her. Small smiles graced the lips of Molly and Arthur at the sight. Their grandkids would owe them for this.


	6. Point of No Return

-*.*.*-

Title: Secrets

Summary: "Even if this had all turned out differently… I think I still would have found you and fallen in love with you." Drabbles for the Look After You universe. Sirius/Ginny

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

Author's Note: This follow the **Complex Touch **and **Look After You** universe. I've decided to share some drabbles on random moments in their lives before, during or after those two stories. Enjoy all the nonsense!

-*.*.*-

The dormitory was in an uproar. Unsurprisingly none of the girls had prepared the night before for their holiday home for Christmas. Marlene was frantically searching for a new set of robes she had bought in Hogsmeade that now seemed to be lost in Dorcas' pile of clothes. Amelie couldn't decide which school books to bring home with her, talking out loud to herself that she'd rather just do no homework at all. Dorcas was throwing everything into her trunk without looking. Ginny could see a pair of shorts, which would be completely unnecessary for the cold weather, sticking out from beneath some of the parchment in Dorcas' trunk.

Ginny was panicking also. She'd be going home with Fabian and Gideon. She would be meeting her family for the first time as Ginny Stiles. But she'd be seeing her mum and dad for the first time in months, even if they didn't know they were her parents. The thought made her both excited and nauseous. How was she suppose to decide what clothes to bring to the Burrow if she could hardly even accept the fact that she was going to the Burrow?

It was complete madness.

So she was packing robes and jumpers and pants. Amelie had made her pack a Quaffle she had bought her as an early Christmas present, though she had made sure to shrink it before shoving it in her trunk for her, so that Ginny could practice Quidditch during the holidays. Dorcas had made sure Ginny had gotten back several school books she had been borrowing. And Marlene had let Ginny take an older set of robes from her for when she went to the Potter's.

The Potter's.

Ginny groaned to herself and slapped a hand to her forehead. How did she even agree to this trip from Hogwarts? She should have just ignored the boys; though their concern was sweet it was putting her in a bit of a spot now. After Christmas she'd be spending the remainder of her time with James, Peter, Sirius, and Remus. Lily would be joining also. The idea of the six teenagers together was thrilling and also terrifying.

"-we've got less than twenty minutes," Dorcas was crying out as Ginny focused on her surroundings. "This is bullocks, absolutely insane, why did we not pack last night?"

Marlene glanced at Ginny and they shared a look. They hadn't packed last night because Dorcas had been in a state over the idea of leaving Hogwarts for the holidays also. This would be Dorcas' first holiday without her family. It hadn't been long since Voldemort had killed them and while Dorcas liked to pretend she was fine, that everything was just fine, the girls knew better. They had found Dorcas last night crying in her bed with Amelie when they came up to pack.

And so instead of packing Ginny had run down to the kitchens with Marlene, took back armfuls of food, and they stayed up all night. Amelie was taking Dorcas home with her for the holidays so the girls knew she would be fine once she got there. But the weeks to come would continue to be hard for Dorcas, as should be expected.

"We're fine, we've got plenty of time, don't we?" Amelie said, slamming her trunk shut.

"Did you pack your homework?" Marlene asked her, shutting her own trunk and heading towards Dorcas' mess.

"What's the point of homework, really?" was all Amelie said as she went to sit on Ginny's bed.

Ginny smiled at her friend and closed her trunk also. She could only hope she had packed everything she'd need for the upcoming two weeks.

"Are you excited, then?" Amelie whispered to Ginny.

"About?"

Ginny shrugged on a jumper she had left out, getting her head stuck in the hole before Amelie pulled it down. Laughing, Amelie elbowed her.

"Staying with Sirius. Don't think I'd let you get away without talking about it."

Pursing her lips, Ginny said nothing. But when Amelie's laughter grew, catching the attention of Dorcas and Marlene, a smile fought its way to her lips.

"Are you going to shag him?"

"What? No! No, we're definitely not to that point-"

"What point are you at, hm?" Dorcas teased, the conversation momentarily wiping her sadness from her face.

"Do tell, Ginny," Marlene purred.

Ginny rolled her eyes before helplessly throwing her hands into the air.

"We're at no point. It's all a confusing mess, really," Ginny admitted.

Dorcas giggled as she put on a cloak.

"I think you're at the point of no return," she told her.

Ginny threw her an unamused look but Dorcas ignored it. A knock on the dormitory door distracted the girls and a younger student, a fifth year Ginny figured, poked her head in.

"Ginny?" the girl called. "Some Gryffindors are waiting for you in the corridor, asked me to come grab you."

Groaning as the other girls burst out into laughter, Ginny offered the girl a thanks. When the door clicked shut Amelie began jumping on Ginny's bed.

"Don't get yourself knocked up, make sure. We've got a whole Quidditch season to finish. We can't have you breaking your arm one game then having a baby the next!"

"If you do have a baby will you name her after me?" Marlene asked, batting her eyes.

"Perhaps you'll have twins." Dorcas winked at her from the other side of the room.

"Funny, funny! I've got to get going!" Ginny yelled, picking up her trunk.

Crookshanks, as though knowing she were leaving, darted out of his hiding spot under the bed to follow her.

"Wait, we'll walk out with you," Dorcas cried out. "Everyone have everything?"

After a moment of double checking, though very quickly, the four girls left the dormitory, followed by the tiny kitten. The common room was just as hectic as their dormitory had been. Students who were spending the holiday at Hogwarts were sprawled out on the couches, chatting and playing games. Others were saying goodbye, promising to write. One couple was lip locked.

It was only when Edgar, who had been waiting for Amelie by the fireplace, yelled a warning ("Fifteen minutes to get to the carriages! Everyone hurry along!") did the crowd begin to exit. Ginny was jostled as she stepped out of the entrance and into the corridor. And, as promised, there stood four of her favorite Gryffindor boys.

Sirius smiled at the sight of her and he rushed to meet her, grabbing her trunk with one hand and wrapping his other hand around her back. He pulled her towards him and pressed a haste kiss to the corner of her lips. Her cheeks flushed at the very public display of affection but she was pleased nonetheless.

"James is ready to lose his mind," Sirius muttered in her ear. "Thought you'd never leave that common room of yours."

Ginny smirked when Sirius stepped away from her and towards the boys, pulling her trunk with him. Feeling eyes on her, Ginny turned and saw that Marlene and Dorcas were still waiting for her. The girls approached the Gryffindors with large grins.

"Good day, boys," Dorcas greeted.

James gave a laugh of approval.

"Good day! Let's get heading to the carriages, shall we? Is your common room cleared out? Ah, here's your Head of House."

And, indeed, a professor was shooing students away from the entrance, telling them to hurry to the carriages. Ginny affectionately ruffled James' hair before hugging Remus and Peter. The group started down the corridor, chatting. Unsurprisingly, Sirius ended up walking beside Ginny.

"You look lovely today," he told her.

Ginny sighed but was grinning.

"Did you dress up for me?" he asked.

"I was aiming more for Crookshanks approval than your own," Ginny said, biting her lip. "Sorry."

"He does hold quite a high opinion of you," Sirius agreed.

Ginny laughed and, without thinking on it, intertwined her fingers with Sirius'. He smiled down at her but then was distracted by Marlene, who asked him about his latest detention.

"I was right."

Dorcas was walking beside Ginny, holding Crookshanks to her breast. The kitten mewled loudly.

"Right about what?" Ginny questioned, confused.

"You're at the point of no return."

Ginny frowned at her words but, feeling the warmth of Sirius' hand in her own, ignored the worry that bubbled within her.


End file.
